Writers Helping Writers^®

Resident Writing Coach

Capturing Complex Emotion: A Writer’s Superpower

October 2, 2018

Capturing Complex Emotion: A Writer’s Superpower

October 2, 2018

Our brain is driven by emotion. We may like to think we’re rational beings, applying the rules of logic calmly and sensibly to those little and not-so-little decisions, but our…

Meet Our Newest Resident Writing Coaches!

September 25, 2018

Meet Our Newest Resident Writing Coaches!

September 25, 2018

We’re heading into our third year of the Resident Writing Coach program, can you believe it? Writers Helping Writers is honored to host some of the best teachers of writing…

And…Action! Applying TV Lessons to Chapter Hooks

September 11, 2018

And…Action! Applying TV Lessons to Chapter Hooks

September 11, 2018

We’ve probably all heard the advice to end our scenes and chapters on a hook. At the end of every scene or chapter, readers might put down our book and…

Where’s Your Edge as a Writer?

September 4, 2018

Where’s Your Edge as a Writer?

September 4, 2018

Some of my most enjoyable teaching experiences were with my friends Donald Maass and Christopher Vogler doing Story Masters, a four-day immersion in the craft of fiction. For my day…

The Art of “Skipping Around” (Writing Out of Sequence)

August 21, 2018

The Art of “Skipping Around” (Writing Out of Sequence)

August 21, 2018

When other writers ask me if I’m a plotter or a pantser, I usually tell them, “I’m a little of both, but I’m also skip around.” By “skipping around,” I…

Crafting a “Body Language Voice”

August 14, 2018

Crafting a “Body Language Voice”

August 14, 2018

You’ve probably heard about “voice”–that elusive quality that so many editors, agents, and readers are drawn to. Years ago, I did a couple of posts about character voice, arguing that…

Writing By Design Part 4: Contrast, or Light versus Dark

August 7, 2018

Writing By Design Part 4: Contrast, or Light versus Dark

August 7, 2018

In earlier installments of this “Writing by Design” series, we’ve discussed how to use the constraints of space to lend a shape to your story, and we also looked at…

Character Vulnerability: There Will Be Blood

July 17, 2018

Character Vulnerability: There Will Be Blood

July 17, 2018

This is something I say to almost every writer: Make no mistake, there WILL be blood! No, I’m not referring to the movie. Or even to literal blood. But to…

How Do You Lead Readers to Your Theme?

July 10, 2018

How Do You Lead Readers to Your Theme?

July 10, 2018

Theme & Symbolism Database A good book, once finished, often leaves you with that feeling of something more. I like to think of it as the book’s essence. It kind…

How To “Level Up” Your Character’s Wound

July 3, 2018

Understanding how to properly create a character's emotional wound

How To “Level Up” Your Character’s Wound

July 3, 2018

Every writer who has spent time studying the craft writing knows of the character wound, and that they are the foundation of a strong, memorable character. Why? Because they make…